Being a child star certainly isn’t easy, just ask any of the kids who were touring the world for Disney before puberty hit. Demanding a mere crumb of privacy must have felt impossible for actresses, like Ariana Grande, whose family went through difficult struggles at the height of her teen fame. Ariana’s relationship with her father, Edward Butera, gained some attention when he appeared to be less present in her life as she transitioned from Nickoloden princess to dominator of the Billboard charts. Ariana, who is famously associated with her mother Joan’s last name Grande, caught fans’ attention when she decided to have her full surname “Grande-Butera” in the Wicked credits. Fans noticed this was likely a very positive update on Ariana Grande and her father’s relationship today. 

Ariana Grande’s Relationship With Her Dad Today

Who is Ed Butera?

Edward Butera is Ariana Grande’s father. Ariana shared in 2013 that her mom was the CEO of a communications company and her father was then a graphic designer, photographer, and owner of a creative studio. Butera is currently 66-years-old. 

When did Ariana Grande’s parents get a divorce?

As reported by Entertainment Tonight, her parents split up when Ariana was around eight years old, which would have been around 2001. 

What happened with Ariana Grande and her dad?

In 2013, Ariana “fell out of touch” with her father. She described the estrangement as one of the hardest things she’s ever had to deal with to Seventeen Magazine. Though she kept the specific reasons private (rightfully so), fans got a sense there had been tension over the years due to her parents’ divorce from Ariana’s music. In her 2018 hit “Thank U, Next” Ariana sang “One day I’ll walk down the aisle / Holding hands with my mama / I’ll be thanking my dad / ‘Cause she grew from the drama.” 

When did Ariana start speaking to her father again?

In 2019, Edward Butera was seen in the audience at one of Ariana’s “Thank U, Next” international tour stops. When Ariana later performed the song live at The Grammys, she changed the lyrics to “I’ll be thanking my dad / ‘Cause he’s really awesome,” which indicated the pair had become much closer again in recent years. The singer also celebrated that her entire family was together for Thanksgiving that year, including Joan, Ed, and Ariana’s then-husband Dalton Gomez. Ed was later present at Ariana and Dalton’s 2021 wedding. 

Did Ariana’s dad attend the Wicked premiere?

Ariana’s father Ed Butera was front and center on the Wicked carpet standing alongside her mom Joan and her brother Frankie.